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Bringing It Home – The Saint Rose Blog

MBA, SDBL, and Fulltime Work: Kayla Hughes G’20, G’21

Kayla HughesKayla Hughes G’20, G’21 is currently earning her School District Business Leader (SDBL) certificate, which she began immediately after finishing her MBA at Saint Rose. The SDBL program, offered entirely online, prepares candidates to assume leadership roles within a school district.

Hughes, who has been working full time while completing two graduate programs back to back, shared her career aspirations, as well as insights into managing to balance work with school.

Tell us about how you decided to pursue the SDBL directly after finishing your MBA.

I had become interested in the MBA program at Saint Rose because of the college’s affiliation with NYSASBO (New York State Association of School Business Officials), of which I am a member.

The SDBL certificate was my main reason for enrolling in the MBA program, so I have been eager to start it. I also liked being able to complete the MBA program while working full time because of the flexibility of the class schedule and workload. That made me want to dive right back in.

 

Who has been the most influential professor you’ve had so far and why?

I would hands down say Dr. John Dion was the most influential professor I had. He was able to reference his own prior work experience and apply it to every topic he covered, which not only made the information relatable but much more interesting.

He also really wanted the students to leave with a better understanding of the material and gave incredible feedback and opportunities to improve projects, which allows students to have a portfolio of work they are proud of. Every semester I looked to see if he was teaching a class I could apply to my degree — I would have taken a class with him every semester if I could.

 

What opportunities has Saint Rose provided you to network within your degree programs?

In the SDBL orientation alone, we met a number of our future professors, all of whom mentioned they wanted us to consider them colleagues that we could reach out to at any time. I am looking forward to not only getting to know each of the professors over the next year, but also to growing as a group with my cohort.

 

What are your future career plans?

I am currently the district treasurer at a public school district and intend on becoming a school business official, at which time we can bring the business office back in house.

 

How do you plan on utilizing both degrees?

Both degrees are required to become a school business official. In addition, the course material is helping to shape my leadership style and become an effective leader.

 

How do you prioritize your time to accomplish everything?

I am a full-time student in the SDBL program and work full time as a district treasurer. The program is set up to help students succeed: The classes are offered at night through a livestream (or zoom) meeting, and the group of peers you start with is the one you will continue with through the entire program. This is a huge plus, because not only do we have the professors as a resource, but we also have a built-in network of peers who are always willing to help out or act as a sounding board for ideas.

 

What are some challenges you’ve encountered in pursuing your graduate studies?

I think the only real challenge was the night classes for the MBA program. I live about an hour and 45 minutes away from campus, so I would have to leave right after work to get to class on time at 6 p.m. and then drive home at 9:45 p.m. after class, making for a very long day(s), especially with the winter weather.

The flex option wasn’t available until my last semester, when I took marketing management with Dr. Dion. I  did attend this one via live stream!

 

What advice do you have for anyone interested in pursuing multiple graduate degrees?

My only advice is to commit and hold yourself accountable for your success. I watched many of my peers make excuses for late assignments or missing classes. In the end, they hurt only themselves. Produce work you are proud of and build your portfolio and network for a successful future.

— by Sarah Uzzi G’21

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